Almost a year ago exactly, I met this mommy when she attended my lifestyle photography workshop in Toronto, Canada. She didn’t even live in Canada…she was from Minnesota. But just a short time after that workshop, she learned she would be moving to Seattle, WA. We decided to get together when I was there to do another workshop this summer. It was so surreal because as I was messaging her regarding our photo session location in Seattle, I noticed the last texts we had were from a year ago talking about our visit to Niagara Falls! I mean, how crazy is that???

What a JOY to experience this incredible beach in Seattle with their family! The views at Discovery Park are simply incredible and if the traffic/parking wasn’t such a beast, I would probably go there every night to watch the sunset behind the lighthouse. And these little doll babies! They have such a wonderful sense of adventure and explored every nook and cranny we could find at the beach that night. Don’t miss this image not pictured.

You might notice a pretty gnarly strawberry on baby girl up there. Man…she took quite the tumble and I was worried that was going to be the end of our session right then and there. But she sucked it up (for a little bit) and let us finish the night out working in some of the most romantic, perfect, lovely dresses EVER! And then, Jennifer happened to notice me looking longingly at the sunset, that dress, and my little girl and SO graciously told me I could borrow the dress for a couple of shots with Amry (here’s one with my iphone). It might seem like such a simple thing, but I think only a fellow photographer like her would truly understand that kind of longing and read my mind before I even knew to ask. Thank you for that, my friend. That will go down as one of my favorite memories from the trip.

And so now, back in Austin, I gotta say I quite enjoyed proofing this photo session because not only did I get to revisit this family, but I also got to relive one of the many awe-inspiring sunsets we experienced this summer on the west coast.

Austin kids photography

Austin Kids Photographer

I just did a quick search for old posts about her and I had to stop looking through them lest I force myself into the rabbit hole of nostalgia and melancholy. She started Kindergarten this week. Her first year of school. This is not a new thing to many parents. It’s not even a new thing to me. I’ve been there, done that. But this time, it was different. This is my baby. My baby isn’t a baby. This is not something my heart is willing to accept. And as if to add insult to injury, she lost her very first tooth the day after we did this photo session. And to further rub salt in my wounds, she is happy. How dare she????? No tears. No, “Mommy…I miss you! Stay with me!” Nope. I’m old news. My poor little mommy heart was not made to handle all of this “growing up” business. I am not properly equipped. It has been admittedly difficult for me to accept this week. Don’t even get me started on when any one of my kids decides to leave the next in just a few short summers. But I’m still proud. I’m still joyful. I still feel blessed beyond words that I am one of the lucky few that actually gets to experience these bittersweet gems in life. So I’ll quit my whining. For now 😉

It’s going to take some getting used to, this thing called “back to school” and living on a schedule here in Austin. It’s going to take some getting used to blogging again as well. It was certainly the most magnificent, incredible, exhausting summer of my entire life and I think we are all still recovering from being on the road so long. I know I will be equally excited and saddened to start this process of blogging about everything we did and everywhere we went this summer. Going through our pictures will mean it’s truly over and I’m not ready to face that just yet.

For now, I’m going to blow the dust off the blog and work backwards for a little bit. I know I’ve missed blogging several families that I worked with this summer and I *will* get them up here eventually. But today, let’s start with my photographer friend Angela with PB Kisses Photography in sunny California. Angela was a past lifestyle photography workshop attendee not to long ago and I was so amazed we were actually able to work out a maternity session while I was in southern California this summer to document this pregnancy for her caboose joining the family soon ;-).

Things you should know about this session:

1. Big bro and big sis up there? They are going to be AMAZING to their new baby. No. Doubt.
2. Angela is funny. Like really funny. I like that. She’s also really talented. And I like that as well.
3. There were like a bazillion people on this beach and in the water and I don’t get that. Coming from the WARM waters of the Gulf Coast, the “warm” Pacific is not so warm along the California coast. Or maybe I’m just a wimp?
4. I did this session within just a few hours of first setting foot in the great state of California. Way to dive in head first, huh?

Angela, you can be sure I’m going to look you up if I’m ever in your neck of the woods again and I want to get to hang with you in a non-business environment. Well, maybe after I snuggle on that new little one first?